Yosemite National Park Photography and Video – February 2011

February in Yosemite is a hot commodity. After the snowstorms settle, the Yosemite Valley is a quiet, snowy, and beautiful sanctuary. But the diehards don’t flock to Yosemite for the usual views of Half Dome, El Capitan, or Yosemite Falls. They come for Horsetail Fall.

Located along the eastern edge of El Capitan, Horsetail Fall is a small, ephemeral waterfall that is barely visible to the naked eye. During the last two weeks in February, “The Yosemite Firefall” lights up when the setting sun strikes the waterfall at just the right angle and the precise time, lasting not more than a few minutes.

With Horsetail Fall becoming more and more of a spectacle every year, local photographers like Edie Howe recommend skipping out on the crowds and holding out till March. I can’t say I blame her.

As for me, every time I’ve visited Yosemite there’s been something new and exciting to photograph. It’s dangerously intoxicating.